The next-gen MX-5 Miata thread

[CodeRedR51]

http://www.miata.net/motm/2008/brandt.html

^^^ That's a cool little article about a guy who purchased a wrecked Mazdaspeed Miata and transferred most of the parts over to his NA, including the interior.

 

[homeforsummer]

Makes perfect sense to me. NBs are basically the same as NAs anyway, but they are more expensive and they suffer from a crippling amount of "Not Having Flip-Ups." Who would want an NB?

The caveat to the expense point is "in the US" Good NAs are rising in value here where NBs are still heading down, and supply of NBs is better too. You can get a decent NA for about a grand (mine was around that) and an NB for about £1500, which isn't too bad a price difference.

I've always thought the used market for Miatas in the States seemed unrealistically inflated. We may get screwed on new prices in the UK but we have a decent used market to console us. As long as rust is avoided.

Yeah, air conditioning. Because when you're stuck in city traffic on a humid 90 degree day, you keep the top up and the air con on.

Aircon is great but in the UK it's something I'd not bother with on MX5s. Our weather never really gets hot enough where dropping the roof wouldn't be a better option than turning on the aircon. I know that's not really the case in some places over there.

It's why convertibles sell better in the UK than anywhere else in Europe - although our weather is crap a lot of the time, when it does get sunny it's usually perfect convertible weather. Oh, and the heater is excellent in MX5s so even when it's freezing outside you can still have the top down.

 

[Imari]

Ugh, I'm totally in the wrong country. A good NA in Australia=$7-8000. A good NB=$10-12000.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Ugh, I'm totally in the wrong country. A good NA in Australia=$7-8000. A good NB=$10-12000.

It's not all that bad, your pay is considerably better.

 

[TheCracker]

Ugh, I'm totally in the wrong country. A good NA in Australia=$7-8000. A good NB=$10-12000.

It's not all that bad, your pay is considerably better.

And you use comedy monopoly money as currency.

 

[Eric.]

The caveat to the expense point is "in the US" Good NAs are rising in value here where NBs are still heading down, and supply of NBs is better too. You can get a decent NA for about a grand (mine was around that) and an NB for about £1500, which isn't too bad a price difference.

I've always thought the used market for Miatas in the States seemed unrealistically inflated. We may get screwed on new prices in the UK but we have a decent used market to console us. As long as rust is avoided.



Aircon is great but in the UK it's something I'd not bother with on MX5s. Our weather never really gets hot enough where dropping the roof wouldn't be a better option than turning on the aircon. I know that's not really the case in some places over there.

It's why convertibles sell better in the UK than anywhere else in Europe - although our weather is crap a lot of the time, when it does get sunny it's usually perfect convertible weather. Oh, and the heater is excellent in MX5s so even when it's freezing outside you can still have the top down.

The ratio of NAs to NBs I see on a regular basis is ridiculous. I can probably make it more than week without seeing an NB, and only a slightly better chance of an NC.

Aircon: Yeah, I wouldn't have a daily driver without air here. I prefer to have the windows down most of the time, but there are times I'll give in. The MR2's AC doesn't work and that kept me from driving it more this summer.

 

[homeforsummer]

The ratio of NAs to NBs I see on a regular basis is ridiculous. I can probably make it more than week without seeing an NB, and only a slightly better chance of an NC.

NBs are most prolific in the UK. NAs are still popular but many have rusted or been scrapped (or stolen. Grr). Most NAs I see now I'm fairly confident are owned by genuine enthusiasts, where the NB is still owned by a complete mix.

It does add weight to my theory that NAs are also a bit "raw" to be considered girly cars any more too. Most girls I know aren't that keen on a noisy, slightly leaky and draughty car that's dwarfed by most other vehicles on the road. Back in the early 90s it wasn't so much a problem as it is now.

Still, all the more for the rest of us.

 

[Eric.]

Its basically never young girls driving them here. Usually a 50/50 split of middle aged men and women. Young girls drive Cobalts, V6 Mustangs, and other awful, slow cars.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Blah blah blah pop cans for engines blah blah

Not another one.

 

[Tornado]

Because the Miata has always been known for its large displacement engines...

 

[CodeRedR51]

Not another one.

This thread isn't for you.

Have a nice day.

 

[RocZX]

Because the Miata has always been known for its large displacement engines...

Monster Miata have large displacement engine.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Two liters isn't "large displacment".

1.4 liters is just plain too small for anything over Geo Metro size, turbocharged or not.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Two liters isn't "large displacment".

I think you missed the sarcasm in his post...

 

[niky]

<1.4 liters...

...is enough for Hayabusas.

...is enough for Caterhams.

...and with a turbo giving it more horses and torque than the current two liter, should be enough for a lighter Miata.

 

[Neal]

Before you know it BMW with put a 2L 4pot in their 528i...it's a world gone mad.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Before you know it BMW with put a 2L 4pot in their 528i...it's a world gone mad.

Watch as I become the only person in the entire forum to agree that would be a bad thing.

 

[Azuremen]

Watch as I become the only person in the entire forum to agree that would be a bad thing.

Well, why would it be a bad thing? Solid torque over wide band is exactly what you'd want in a luxury sedan.

 

[Nish]

Before you know it BMW with put a 2L 4pot in their 528i...it's a world gone mad.

I can flip that around say if BMW keep's their trend of car's getting bigger we'll have a V10 in a M3. Bigger engine does not mean faster car and engine size correspond's usually to the car's size. Last I checked the Miata was a small car, a small engine can get the job done just fine (if it has more power and is lighter where is the true complaint?). I'm ok with the bigger engines but leave them to where they are needed: bigger car's.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Well, why would it be a bad thing? Solid torque over wide band is exactly what you'd want in a luxury sedan.

What's your deal, man? For all I know, the engine already installed in the car has exactly what you're describing.

Even if the 2.0L I4 ends up having slightly more torque, a farty exhaust sound just doesn't work on a luxury sedan. Even if they do manage to keep it refined, you still can't make a 4cyl sound like something besides a 4cyl, and 4cyls have a tendency to sound rather uncultured under heavy load.

 

[Grand Prix]

What's your deal, man? For all I know, the engine already installed in the car has exactly what you're describing.

Even if the 2.0L I4 ends up having slightly more torque, a farty exhaust sound just doesn't work on a luxury sedan. Even if they do manage to keep it refined, you still can't make a 4cyl sound like something besides a 4cyl, and 4cyls have a tendency to sound rather uncultured under heavy load.

I have two words for you: Ferrari Monza.

 

[Nish]

Here you go Grand Prix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOtkDVD0gG0

 

[Grand Prix]

Watch this as well.

http://www.streetfire.net/video/victory-by-design-ferrari_2046956.htm

 

[JJ72]

a turbo 1.4 miata will have more torque and will probably be quicker than a 2.0L N/A, but it just seem less pure, not like the car has to be faster than the old one in a straight line, it was never what people wanted from a Miata.

 

[Azuremen]

Even if the 2.0L I4 ends up having slightly more torque, a farty exhaust sound just doesn't work on a luxury sedan. Even if they do manage to keep it refined, you still can't make a 4cyl sound like something besides a 4cyl, and 4cyls have a tendency to sound rather uncultured under heavy load.

I think you are confusing the enthusiast with the normal buyer on a 528i. Most people buying the entry level 5 care about the badge and interior, exhaust note is pretty low on the list of concerns.

 

[Eric.]

What's your deal, man? For all I know, the engine already installed in the car has exactly what you're describing.

Even if the 2.0L I4 ends up having slightly more torque, a farty exhaust sound just doesn't work on a luxury sedan. Even if they do manage to keep it refined, you still can't make a 4cyl sound like something besides a 4cyl, and 4cyls have a tendency to sound rather uncultured under heavy load.

Of course you can. Just pump the same soundtrack through the car's speakers as in the M5. One day they might let you pick if you want a throaty I6, screaming V8, or other sound. Its just another $450 checkbox away on your order form.

 

[Zenith]

Not another one.

Why are you so ignorant?

 

[Imari]

a turbo 1.4 miata will have more torque and will probably be quicker than a 2.0L N/A, but it just seem less pure, not like the car has to be faster than the old one in a straight line, it was never what people wanted from a Miata.

Yes and no. I see where you're coming from, and I agree if you're talking about the enthusiast market. But for everyday people who want a cheap, cute convertible (which is a surprising amount of new MX5 owners), the numbers matter. The ND needs to be a demonstrable upgrade from an NC, on paper at least.

It's a shame they couldn't maintain the naturally aspirated character of the car, but I assume it was a choice between weight or forced induction. Tough one for the Mazda engineers.

For what it's worth, I still think the turbo'd NBs were the pinnacle of MX5-ness. Great handling with enough of an extra kick in the spine that you don't feel slow when you're not in the windy stuff.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Of course you can. Just pump the same soundtrack through the car's speakers as in the M5. One day they might let you pick if you want a throaty I6, screaming V8, or other sound. Its just another $450 checkbox away on your order form.

Is it wrong that the thought of such a thing makes me want to hurl?

Seriously though, that's actually worse than electric cars using exterior speakers to warn pedestrians. There's a safety reason for the latter, the former is the automotive equivalent of lip-syncing.

 

[Neal]

For all I know, the engine already installed in the car has exactly what you're describing.

The next 528i will have a 4 pot 2L engine and is better for it in pretty much every way - First drive review

The point I was making by referring to the BMW downsizing is that many intelligent manufacturers are doing it resulting in lighter, more efficient and faster cars. Let's not forget that the primary function of these cars is to transport people as efficiently as possible while fulfilling the requirements of the target buyer, for most people willy waving about the size of their engine isn't one of those requirements.